The invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing artwork, and the artwork so produced, using a color printer controlled by a computer. The invention can be practiced using almost any type of computer controlled color printer (that is a printer that prints in more than one color) including, but not limited to, inkjet and laser printers.
The invention is particularly useful for individuals who have an interest in creating their own works of art, but do not have the artistic or aesthetic ability to create art that they deem worthy of display. Typically such individuals become frustrated by their inability to draw even the most essential elements (such as human or animal figures, trees, furniture, or common other objects) which they consider a necessary precursor to making a finished product. According to the present invention, this drawback is overcome by providing the basic physical elements of composition in a piece of art work, allowing the aspiring artist to merely fill in elements of color, texture, and/or design that he or she considers desirable to make an acceptable to beautiful finished product.
The invention is particularly suited for teaching art to children, since there are many situations in which children want to have something they are proud of to show their friends or relatives when taking art. The invention allows almost any child to accomplish this, while he or she is simultaneously being taught many basic elements of art.
Alternatively and/or additionally, the invention provides a unique mixed media form of expression for even skilled artists. Artwork can be produced according to the invention that combines photography and painting or drawing to produce works of a type not heretofore known. Also, because a computer and printer are utilized in the practice of the invention, it is possible to easily make a large number of draft pieces of art work in a simple and quick manner. Only the most desirable drafts can be acted upon further, and/or selected.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of producing a work of art using a color printer which has the ability to print different colors on a substrate under computer control. The printer prints using ink (including what is commonly called toner or wax, but not paint), and the substrate may be almost any substrate capable of receiving and holding ink, including relatively rigid substrates such as plaster and wood. However, typically the substrate is a flexible substrate, such as paper (of all types, but preferably heavyweight matte paper) or canvas.
According to the method of this aspect of the invention, one or more of the colors that the printer is capable of printing that appear in a selected graphic/image or photograph are disabled, and the image or photograph is printed by the printer, under control of the computer, on the substrate without the disabled color or colors, That is, there is provided a method of producing a piece of artwork using a computer-controlled color printer capable of printing at least three colors, comprising: a) inputting or selecting a multicolor image (such as a digital photograph) so that it is provided in the computer; b) selectively disabling one or more of the colors, while not disabling all of the colors besides black, of the printer to insure little or none of the one or more disabled colors is printed with the printer; and c) with the printer, printing the non-disabled color or colors of the image onto a substrate. The art work so provided on the substrate has a unique quality that—depending upon the details of the image (e.g. photograph), the substrate, the color or colors disabled, and/or the color or colors that have been printed—may be variously described as pseudo-abstract, eerie, primitive, and/or ethereal. The art associated with such a work includes choosing the subject, selecting, taking, and/or creating a particular suitable photograph or graphic displaying the subject, and selecting which color or colors will be disabled, and printed.
According to another aspect of the invention, the work produced according the preceding paragraph may be further developed (that is acted upon) by adding paint to various portions of what has been printed on the substrate to achieve different effects and/or level of abstraction or clarity. For example, different colors than originally existed in the photograph or graphic may be substituted with paint or ink of different color, or existing colors may be modified or accentuated, and texture can be added to small parts, some, or substantially all of the printed work. Any standard or subsequently developed implements may be utilized to further develop the work including, but not limited to, brushes, rollers, palette knives, air brushes, pencils, pens, and/or crayons.
In the execution of the method of the invention, d) may practiced by applying texture to spaced portions of the substrate using a palette knife, eye-dropper, or the like; and the method may further comprise adding illustrated objects, foreign materials, or effects, to spaced portions of the substrate. In the method b) may be practiced to fully, or only partially, disable one or more colors. Dramatic effects are especially obtained by disabling black and near black.
Often, c) is practiced using a thermal ink-jet printer, although laser and other types of color printers may alternatively be used. For example, c) may be further practiced using an ink-jet printer having a black ink cartridge as well as at least one primary color ink cartridge, and b) practiced by removing an active black ink cartridge from the printer to thereby disable printing with black ink. Alternatively or additionally, b) may be using software in a computer controlling a printer.
In many situations, the multicolor image of a) is a digital photograph, and the digital photograph is taken by an artist and input into the computer by the artist, and a)-d) are practiced to produce a pseudo-abstract final art work. The method is also particularly suited for use in a curriculum to teach art to children.
The invention also piece of paper or canvas comprising a pseudo-abstract art work produced by practicing the method described above. Preferably the piece of paper is non-glossy paper, such as at least 30 pound matte paper.
The invention also relates to a color printer controllable by a computer and capable of printing at least three colors on a substrate; and mechanical devices interconnected to computer controls and/or software which act on the printer or computer controlling the printer to selectively and temporarily disable the printing of one or more colors with the printer. The printer may comprise a thermal ink-jet printer, and the mechanical devices and/or software may include software in the computer.
The invention also relates to a method of producing a work of art using a thermal ink-jet printer having an active black ink cartridge and at least one active primary color ink cartridge, and controlled by a computer, comprising: a) inputting or selecting a multicolor image so that it is provided in the computer; b) removing the active black ink cartridge from the printer, or controlling the printer with software, to disable from about 80-100% the capability of the printer to print black or near black while not significantly disturbing operation of the at least one active primary color cartridge; c) with the printer, printing a substantially accurate representation of the image, but without about 80-100% of the black or near black, onto a substrate of paper or canvas; and d) further acting upon the substrate from c) to add artistic elements to the substrate to produce a final artwork. For example, d) is practiced by adding acrylic paint to spaced portions of the substrate to provide colors and textures not present in the original image, and c) is practiced so that the substrate is at least thirty pound matte paper, and a) is practiced using a digital color photograph as the image.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide for the production of an unusual and/or easy to produce art form in a simple and effective manner. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.